Guru (born Keith
Edward Elam, July 17, 1966 in the Boston neighborhood of
Roxbury
) is an American
rapper and former member of the hip-hop duo Gang Starr. He is known for delivering
complex lyrics in a unique monotone style. Members of the
hip-hop community consider him to be one of the
pioneers of hiphop/jazz crossover. The name Guru is a
backronym that stands for "Gifted Unlimited Rhymes
Universal" and the less often used "God is Universal, he is the
Ruler Universal".
Background
Founded in 1987, Gang Starr built a sizable following in the early
90's, releasing classic albums like
Step in the Arena (1991) and
Daily Operation (1992).
Guru's lyrical style is based on
battle
rhymes delivered smoothly, modestly, and with sly wit; he
typically avoids using overwhelming charisma, focusing instead on
his rhyming ability, which developed into his trademark monotone
style. Over the years he has even taken on younger rappers,
including
Jeru the Damaja, as
proteges. He is credited with DJ Premier for
executive producing Jeru's debut,
The Sun Rises in the East
(1994).
In 1993, he released his first solo album,
Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1. The album featured collaborations
with
Donald Byrd,
N'Dea Davenport and
Roy
Ayers, while his second LP,
Jazzmatazz, Vol.
2: The New
Reality, featured
Ramsey
Lewis,
Branford Marsalis and
Jamiroquai. The
Jazzmatazz
albums are commonly considered some of the best rap of the early
90s, Guru's reputation was also bolstered through the continued
success of
Jazzmatazz, Vol.
3:
Streetsoul (2000) and
Baldhead Slick & Da
Click (2001).
Moreover, recent Gang Starr albums have continued to garner Guru
critical acclaim. Prominent Boston underground rapper
Mr. Lif frequently cites Guru as a major stylistic
influence; he appears as a guest with Lif on
the Perceptionists' debut album,
Black Dialogue (2005).
Besides Gang Starr, his
Jazzmatazz and solo albums, Guru
has collaborated with countless artists since the early 90s. Not
only in hiphop, but also with artists from various genres such as
pop, electronica/dance, acid jazz and even brass bands.
His "first proper solo album", in his own words, was
Version
7.0: The Street Scriptures (2005), released with the help of
producer and new backup MC
Solar (who is not to be confused with
MC Solaar from France). The album reached
#1 on the college hip-hop charts, but was a failure with both fans
and critics. It still managed to sell relatively well for an
independent release.
Guru's latest project is the fourth installment in the
Jazzmatazz series, entirely produced by Solar. It was
released in early June 2007. May 19, 2008 Guru and Solar released
Guru 8.0: Lost And Found. All the projects produced by Solar were
met with mixed but generally negative reviews by Critics and fans,
yet Guru states he will not work with DJ Premier again.
Gang Starr's current status and future are unknown. Guru is
currently living in Jersey City, NJ and frequents Newport Skates in
downtown Jersey City.
In 2007 Guru was ranked at 45 for the Top 50 MCs of our time:
1987-2007
- More on this topic is to be found in the main article for
Gang Starr.
Discography
- Gang Starr albums are listed in the group's main article.
Jazzmatazz Albums
| Album information |
Jazzmatazz, Vol.
1
- Released: May 18, 1993
- Billboard 200 chart position: #94
- UK chart position: #58
- R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #15
- Singles: "Trust Me", "Loungin'", "No Time To Play" & "Le
Bien, Le Mal"
|
Jazzmatazz,
Vol. 2: The New
Reality
- Released: July 18, 1995
- Billboard 200 chart position: #71
- UK chart position: #12
- R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #16
- Singles: "Watch What You Say" & "Livin' In This World"
|
Jazzmatazz,
Vol. 3: Streetsoul
- Released: September 26, 2000
- Billboard 200 chart position: #32
- UK chart position: #74
- R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #8
- UK chart position: #74
- Singles: "Keep Your Worries", "Lift Your Fist", "Certified"
& "Supa Love"
|
Jazzmatazz, Vol.
4: The Hip-Hop Jazz Messenger: Back To The Future
- Released: June 5, 2007
- Billboard 200 chart position: N/A
- R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #45
- Singles: "State Of Clarity"
|
Label Compilation (Various Artists)
| Album information |
Guru Presents Ill Kid
Records
- Released: 1995
- Billboard 200 chart position: -
- R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
- Singles: -
|
Baldhead Slick All Star Album
Solo Albums
| Album information |
Version 7.0: The Street
Scriptures
- Released: May 10, 2005
- Billboard 200 chart position: -
- R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #54
- Singles: "Cave In", "Step In The Arena 2" & "Hood
Dreamin"
|
Guru 8.0: Lost and Found
- Released: May 19, 2009
- Billboard 200 chart position: -
- R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
- Singles: "Divine Rule", "Fastlane", "Ride", "After Time &
"No Gimmick Sh*t"
|
Filmography
Notes
References
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